Douglas W. Larson earned a doctorate in plant ecology from McMaster University in 1975. He then joined the faculty of the University of Guelph, where he continues to conduct research and teach. Before assembling a group of scientists dedicated to the interdisciplinary study of cliffs, Larson became familiar with sparse vegetation while investigating the ecology of coastal tundra and rock outcrops in northern Ontario. Address: Cliff Ecology Research Group, Department of Botany, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario, Canada N1G 2W1. Internet: dwlarson at uguelph dot ca